| 摘要 |
A method of pinpointing pipeline chemical leaks from an aircraft (26) is disclosed. The method works best when wind speeds are under 10 knots and for liquid chemical leaks when temperatures are above freezing. The method comprises flying the aircarft (26) over the pipeline; continuously collecting (22) an air sample from the exterior of the aircraft (26); feeding the collected air sample into an air analyzer (32) which tests for high concentrations of the chemical potentially leaking from the pipeline; inputting the output signal from the analyzer (32) to a computer (34); concurrently inputting a global positioning system receiver (33) output to the computer (34); programming the computer (34) to correlate the outputs from the air analyzer (32) and the receiver (33); and checking the correlated output from the computer (34) to locate high concentrations of the chemical and thereby identify pipeline chemical leaks. An apparatus for aircraft surveillance of pipelines is disclosed comprising: an air analyzer (32) to measure concentrations of the potentially leaking chemical connected to an air sample probe (22) outside the aircraft; a computer (34) electrically connected to the output of the air analyzer (32); and, a GPS receiver (33) electrically connected to the computer (34). In a preferred embodiment the apparatus further comprises a video camera (24) mounted in the nose of the aircraft, and a VCR (36) in the instrument platform inside the aircraft (26) to monitor the pipeline and surrounding terrain beneath the aircraft (26) to facilitate location of the leaks in the pipeline. |
